when amish take a break?

rumspringa, (Pennsylvania Dutch : “running around”) a rite of passage and period of growth in adolescence for some Amish youths, during which time they face fewer restrictions on their behaviour and are not subject to the Ordnung (German: “order”), the specific system of unwritten community norms that governs their sect ...

Rumspringa (Pennsylvania German pronunciation: [ˈrʊmˌʃprɪŋə]),[2] also spelled Rumschpringe or Rumshpringa, is a rite of passage during adolescence, translated from originally Palatine German and other Southwest German dialects to English as "jumping or hopping around", used in some Amish communities. The Amish, a subsect of the Anabaptist Christian movement, intentionally segregate themselves from other communities as a part of their faith. For Amish youth, the Rumspringa normally begins at age 16 and ends when a youth chooses either to be baptized in the Amish church or to leave the community.[3]: 10–11  For Wenger Mennonites, Rumspringa occurs mostly between ages of 17 and 21.[4]: 169–173, 244

Not all Amish use this term (it does not occur in John A. Hostetler's extended discussion of adolescence among the Amish), but in sects that do, Amish elders generally view it as a time for courtship and finding a spouse.[3]: 14  A popular view exists by which the period is institutionalized as a rite of passage, and the usual behavioral restrictions are relaxed, so that Amish youth can acquire some experience and knowledge of the non-Amish world.

Rumspringa is a Pennsylvania German noun meaning "running around." It is a cognate of the Standard German verb rumspringen.[5][6] Dialects do not derive from standard languages, but as a cognate, this expression is closely related to the Standard German verb (he)rumspringen meaning "to jump around or about." The Standard German term is a compound word of the adverb herum (around, about) and the verb springen ("to jump"). However, in Swiss German as in some other southern German dialects, springen – besides meaning "to jump" – also means "to run." This term/concept also is used as a separable verb, i.e., rumspringen (to jump around) / er springt rum (he jumps around).

In Pennsylvania German, the prefix rum is a contraction of herum – a development which is also all but general to spoken standard German. The infinitive (and gerund) form "-a" is standard in Pennsylvania German and other forms of general Upper German.

Amish adolescents may engage in rebellious behavior, resisting or defying parental norms. In many cultures, enforcement may be relaxed, and misbehavior tolerated or overlooked to a degree. A view of rumspringa has emerged in popular culture that this divergence from custom is an accepted part of adolescence or a rite of passage for Amish youth.

Among the Amish, however, rumspringa simply refers to adolescence. During that time a certain amount of misbehavior is unsurprising and is not severely condemned (for instance, by Meidung or shunning). Adults who have made a permanent and public commitment to the faith would be held to the higher standards of behavior defined in part by the Schleitheim and Dordrecht confessions.[7] In a narrow sense, the young are not bound by the Ordnung because they have not taken adult membership in the church. Amish adolescents do remain, however, under the strict authority of parents who are bound to Ordnung, and there is no period when adolescents are formally released from these rules.[8]: 154 [9][10][11][12]

It is the period when the young person is regarded as having reached maturity, and is permitted to attend the Sunday night "singings" that are the focus of courtship among the Amish; according to Amish sources, a youth who dares to attend one of these events before the age of 16 might be force-fed warm milk from a spoon, as a good-natured reminder to observe the lines of status.[5] Members of the local church district often attend the singings and usually bring younger children along.

A minority of Amish youth do diverge from established customs.[3]: 13  Some may be found:[3]: 10–11

Not all youth diverge from custom during this period; approximately half in the larger communities and the majority in smaller Amish communities remain within the norms of Amish dress or behavior during adolescence.[3]: 13  Almost 90 percent of Amish teenagers choose to be baptized and join the Amish church.[13]

Some Amish youth do indeed separate themselves from the community, even going to live among the "English," or non-Amish Americans, experiencing modern technology. Their behavior during this time does not necessarily prevent them from returning for adult baptism into the Amish church.[citation needed]

Most of them do not wander far from their family's homes during this time, and large numbers (85–90%[14]) ultimately choose to join the church. However this proportion varies from community to community, and within a community between more and less acculturated Amish. For example, Swartzentruber Amish have a lower retention rate than Andy Weaver Amish (90% vs 97%;[15] although most of Swartzentruber Amish do not allow teenagers to leave the community during rumspringa at will[16][17]). This figure was significantly lower as recently as the 1950s. Leaving the Amish community is not a long-term trend, and was more of a problem during the early colonial years.[8]

As among the non-Amish, there is variation among communities and individual families as to the best response to adolescent misbehavior. Some Amish communities hold views similar to Old Order Mennonite, and Conservative Mennonites in seeking more productive, spiritual activities for their youth. Some even take up meditation.[citation needed]

In some cases, patience and forbearance prevail, and in others, vigorous discipline. Far from an open separation from parental ways, the misbehavior of young people during the rumspringa is usually furtive, though often collective (this is especially true in smaller and more isolated populations). They may or may not mingle with non-Amish in these excursions. The age is marked normatively in some Amish communities by allowing the young man to purchase a small "courting buggy," or – in some communities – by painting the yard-gate blue (traditionally meaning "daughter of marriageable age living here"; the custom is noted by A. M. Aurand in The Amish (1938), along with the reasonable caution that sometimes a blue gate is just a blue gate). There is some opinion that adolescent rebellion tends to be more radical, more institutionalized (and therefore in a sense more accepted) in the more restrictive communities.

The nature of the rumspringa period differs from individual to individual and from community to community. In large Amish communities like those of Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, Holmes and Wayne Counties, Ohio, and Elkhart and LaGrange Counties, Indiana, the Amish are numerous enough that an Amish youth subculture exists.[18] During rumspringa, the Amish youth in these large communities will join one of various groups ranging from the most rebellious to the least. These groups are not necessarily divided across traditional Amish church district boundaries, although they often are. In many smaller communities, Amish youth may have a much more restricted rumspringa, and likewise may be less likely to partake in strong rebellious behavior, as they lack the anonymity of larger communities.

Wenger Mennonites youth go through a period of rumspringa starting at age 17 and typically ending at marriage, a few years older than the Amish do. Since most of the youth get baptized when they are ages 16 to 19, they typically do not get into the type of serious offenses of the most "disorderly" of the Amish youth.[4]: 169–73, 244

Rumspringa is mentioned in the standard works about the Amish, like Hostettler’s Amish Society, the works of Donald Kraybill, An Amish Paradox by Hurst and McConell and others, but there is only one scholarly book about it:

There is also one documentary book:

Levi Miller's 1989 novel Ben's Wayne describes the rumspringa of an 18-year-old Amish youth in Holmes County, Ohio, during the fall of 1960. According to Richard A. Stevick, the novel is a realistic portrayal of the rumspringa of that time.[20]

Rumspringa is also mentioned in several biographies of ex-Amish like e.g. Ira Wagler's Growing up Amish.

There are several books in the literary genre Amish romance who deal with rumspringa, but mostly with no gain in knowledge about the subject. Levi Miller's novel Ben's Wayne is an exception, since it is a realistic portray of rumspringa in 1960.

Amish teens throw a wild party which includes Fall Out Boy in the film Sex Drive.

A season 6 episode of the sitcom New Girl entitled “Rumspringa” features three of the main characters going on a trip which they refer to as a rumspringa.

A season 6 episode of the Canadian sitcom Letterkenny entitled "Dyck's Slip Out" features two characters who go missing on their rumspringa.

A season 5 episode of the series Bones features the main characters trying to solve the murder of an Amish teen who was on his rumspringa.

A season 5 episode of the drama Cold Case entitled "Running Around" features the main characters trying to solve the murder of an Amish teen who was on her rumspringa.

A Netflix movie called Rumspringa was released in 2022 and features the experiences of a young Amish on Rumspringa in Berlin.

Episode 9, Season 10 of E.R titled “Missing” has, as its central storyline, 2 Amish teenagers, involved in a car collision whilst exploring Chicago. They both must choose whether to return or not.

Have you heard of the Amish rite of passage known as “Rumspringa” before? Essentially, this is a time when parents allow their young children (usually age 16) to leave the walls of the Amish community and see what outside life is like. After they’ve experienced it, they’ll have to make a choice as to whether or not they want to continue living the Amish lifestyle.

Let’s take a closer look at Rumspringa and also how this tradition is changing in modern times.

What is Rumspringa?

The word Rumspringa literally translates to “running around” in Pennsylvania German. During this time, children are given the opportunity to experiment with non-traditional Amish life. For instance, they may visit a neighboring town, wear everyday clothing, use modern technology such as cars and cell phones, and even drink or party with non-Amish individuals.

If you’re familiar with the strict Amish lifestyle, then you can probably see how this a complete 180 in their traditional beliefs. The Amish are a very tight-knit community, which puts strict limitations on the use of technology and where individuals can and cannot go. Life among the Amish is focused around worshiping God, maintaining the family and serving the community.

Parents and the elders oftentimes overlook the behavior that children engage in during Rumspringa. They believe that everyone should experience the outside life before making decisions as to whether or not they want to live an Amish lifestyle.

Due to the fact that the individuals aren’t Baptized yet, children are not yet under the church authority. Technically, this is part of the reason they are given a pass on experimenting with activities that are typically shunned in the Amish community.

What kinds of behaviors can occur during Rumspringa? They include everything from drinking and using drugs to driving vehicles.  In the Amish community, of course, only horse drawn carriages are permissible. Some groups even go to bars and nightclubs in the area. Youngsters also wear regular clothes and hairstyles. They refer to this practice as “dressing English.”

The behavior that takes place during Rumspringa depends to some extent on the person and the community as well. Many continue to live with their families during this period of time and the behavior is far less extreme. As a result, they will still attend Sunday singings and engage in tamer activities like bowling during their Rumspringa period. It’s important to realize that Rumspringa doesn’t always translate to “going wild.”

How Long Does Rumspringa Last?

Each community has it’s own rules regarding Rumspringa, but it usually lasts for around 2 years. During this time, the adolescent is allowed to live outside of the community without Amish restrictions. After that time is up, he or she must return to the community and make a decision.

Rumspringa in the Social Media Age

Access to sites like Facebook has completely transformed Rumspringa for youngsters. Today, there is a major focus on the internet and texting. People say that for a social life during this period, access to Facebook is a necessity. Apparently, Amish teens use it even more than the non-Amish.

What makes Rumspringa different due to social media? First of all, it’s much easier for youngsters to meet one another and socialize with other Amish people. Dating can take place far more easily, not only through Facebook, but also through sites like Meetme.com.

They organize huge parties largely of Amish attendees and people from other communities can attend. As it turns out, the Amish teens prefer to socialize with other teens from similar communities.

After Rumspringa

If the individual decides to continue living the Amish lifestyle after returning to the community, he or she will be baptized by the elders and must adhere to the Ordnung from that day forward. If they decide to leave the community after being baptized, they’re shunned from the community and asked to never return. This stance is considered to be an act of love.

Ultimately, most youngsters decide to stay in their community and get Baptized. Some estimates say this number is about 90% of Amish.

Media Surrounding Rumspringa

If you are interested in learning more about this Amish tradition, there are some interesting TV shows and books on the subject. For example, Amish Snow by Roger Rheinheimer is an interesting book that covers one individual’s experience with Rumspringa. There is also Tom Shachtman’s book Rumspringa: To Be or Not To Be Amish, which was published in 2006.

There is also a controversial 2002 documentary about Rumspringa entitled Devil’s Playground. This film was nominated for 3 documentary Emmy Awards. Further, the reality tv show Amish in the City covered Amish youngsters and follows them during Rumspringa.

There are a lot of misconceptions surrounding Rumspringa and what happens during this rite of passage. You might think that a large number of adolescents choose to leave their Amish lifestyles behind after Rumspringa, but, as stated above, this usually isn’t the case. Instead, most return to their community where they’re baptized and continue to live among the Amish for the rest of their life. While the Amish certainly live a strict lifestyle, most enjoy the closeness of their families and community.